Machine for boring post-holes.



No. 644,876. Patented Mar. 6,1900. 0. SHEVLIN.

MACHINE FUR BORING POST HOLES.

(Application filed Sept. 16, 1899.)

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No. 644,876. Patented Mar. 6, 1900. O. SHEVLIN.

MACHINE FOR BORING POST HOLES.

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OWEN SHEVLIN', OF BA LTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MACHINE FOR BORING POST-HOLES.

SIPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 644,876, dated. March 6, 1900-.

Application filed September 16,1899. Serial No. 730,724.. (No model.)

To all whom may concern.-

Be it known that I, OWEN SHEVLIN, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Machines for Boring Post-Holes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine for boring post-holes; and the object of the invention is to provide a portable hand-operated machine which may easily be moved from one place to another.

The invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 shows an end elevation or transverse view of same. Fig. 3 illustrates a front view of the chain-buckets. Fig. 3 illustrates a side view of the same. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and shows the vertical shaft and groove therein and the upper driving-gear thereon through which the shaft moves endwise. Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the end of the shaft and illustrates the cross-slots and the ends of the cutters movably connected therein.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a frame or trestle, which may be of any suitable construction, having an upper bar I) and a lower horizontal bar I). In the present instance the frame is in the form of a trestle.

The upper bar b, midway between its two ends, is provided with a bearing 0, through which the vertical shaft moves up and down freely, and the lower bar to, directly beneath said upper bearing, is provided with aloearingplate d, having a central screw-threaded hole through which the screw-threaded part f of said shaft moves.

The vertical shaft c has a central part f, which is larger in diameter than either end and is provided with screw-threads g. The upper end e( of said shaft is provided with a vertical groove h, which extends from the top of said shaft down toward the central 'part f. This upper end is also provided with a collar t', which is preferably secured to the shaft by means of a set-screw, and said collar revolves with the shaft. A sleeve j rests on said collar and loosely surrounds the upper end of the shaft and has a horizontally-projecting arm 7a, which carries a sprocket-wheel Z. The lower end 6 of the vertical shaft below the central part f is provided with a collar 71, which is also secured to the shaft 6, and a second sleeve j, like the upper sleeve, bears against the collar and fits loosely around the shaft and has a horizontally-projecting arm and a lbevel gear-wheel m, having also sprocket-teeth m around its circumferential rim, turns loosely on said arm is. A bevel-gear n is keyed or otherwise secured on the lower end 6 of the vertical shaft and meshes with and imparts motion to the said bevel-gear m on the arm k. Below the gear at the shaft is provided witha slot 0, extending entirely through, and a bolthole 0 is drilled through the shaft at right angles to the slot. Two horizontal arms 19 19' have one end passed through the slot, with their flat faces in contact and overlapping each other, and each arm is provided with several adjusting holes q, and a bolt passes through the hole 0 and one of the adj ustingholes q. The outer ends of these two armsp 19' each carry a vertical cutter-head 1", which is rigidly secured thereto. An inclined cutter-blade s is hinged at its upper end to the said vertical cutter-head r, and the lower end of said inclined cutter-blade terminates in an eye t, which fits in a slot to at the bottom end of the vertical shaft. The two cutter-blades r always remain vertical, and the two blades 3, hinged to the vertical cutters, may be adjusted to change their degree of inclination. A cross-slot 1) extends through the shaft into the slot u, and a pin 1; is inserted in the cross slot 1;, through the eyes 25 of the two cutterblades, and secured on the opposite side of the shaft. It will be seen that the eyes t of the cutter-blades are free to move up and down in the slot u when the adjustment of the horizontal arms 19 p is changed. This construction is desirable in order to permit the said arms 19 p to be adjusted or moved in or out An endless-chain conveyer y,having a number of cups or buckets z, is passed over the sprocket-wheel Z at the top of the machine and under the wheel m at the bottom and is driven by the teeth m of said wheel, which take in the links of said chain.

The vertical shaft 6 is revolved by means of a bevel-gear 1 on the bearing 0. This gear has a spline-and-feather connection with the shaft. (See Fig. 4.) The gear 1 has a feather or key 2, which fits loosely in the spline or groove h of the shaft and permits the shaft to move vertically independent of the gear,

but requires it to revolve with said gear.

Two horizontal shafts 3 revolve in bearings 4 on top of the upper support I), and at one end each shaft is provided with a crank 5, and at the opposite end each shaft carries a bevelgear 6, which meshes with and imparts a rotary motion to the gear 1.

In order to prevent the sleeves jj, carrying the horizontal arms and sprocket P wheels, from turning and swinging the conveyer in contact with the frame, I provide each sleeve with an arm 7, whose end terminates in an eye 8, and I also provide the horizontal bars I) and b with fork-shaped stationary arms 9, which are suitably secured to said bars. A suitable rod 10 is passed through the eye in the upper sleeve j and loosely through the fork-shaped arms 9 and finally through the eye in the lower sleeve j. This construction 7 permits the rod to move vertically with the sleeves and shaft, but prevents the sleeves and conveyer from turning. In Fig. 1 the rod has been omitted in order to illustrate the groove h, but the eyes 8 and the arms 9 are illustrated.

By turning the cranks 5 the vertical shaft e, with its cutters w and blades 3 1, will revolve, and the screw 9 on the vertical shaft will cause the latter to gradually move downward as the hole is bored. The chain conveyer is also set in motion and works down in the hole that is bored, while the cups 2 scoop the bored loose dirt out of the hole and elevate it. The

dirt is taken away at the top by means not two arms projecting from opposite sides; a

sprocket-wheel carried on one arm of each sleeve and over which travels an endless= chain conveyer; a vertical rod, 10, secured to the other arms of the two sleeves; and forkshaped stationary arms, 9, on the frame coact= ing with said vertical rod to keep the sleeves from turning with the shaft, as set forth.

2. In a post-hole-digging machine, the combination of a vertical revoluble shaft having at its lower end two transverse slots, 0, u; two horizontal arms, 19, p, adjustable in the upper slot, 0; a vertical cutter-head, r, at the end of each arm; and inclined cutter-blades hinged to said vertical cutter-heads and having their lower ends pivoted in the lower slot, to, said inclined cutter-blades being adjustable to any degree of inclination, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OWEN SHEVLIN.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. MANN, J r., CHARLES VIETsoH. 

